A Guid’Antonio Vespucci Mystery: Book 2
Publication Date: September 27, 2022
Florence, 1473. An impossible murder. A bitter rivalry. A serpent in the ranks.
Florentine investigator Guid’Antonio Vespucci returns to Florence from a government mission to find his dreams of success shattered. Life is good-but then a wealthy merchant dies from mushroom poisoning at Guid’Antonio’s Saint John’s Day table, and Guid’Antonio’s servant is charged with murder. Convinced of the youth’s innocence and fearful the killer may strike again, Guid’Antonio launches a private investigation into the merchant’s death, unaware that at the same time powerful enemies are conspiring to overthrow the Florentine Republic-and him.
A clever, richly evocative tale for lovers of medieval and Renaissance mysteries everywhere, The Hearts of All on Fire is a timeless story of family relationships coupled with themes of love, loss, betrayal and, above all, hope in a challenging world.
Take a trip back in time to late 15th century Florence, Italy, where intrigue hides in every corner. Author Alana White delivers a second mystery featuring Guid’Antonio Vespucci in The Hearts of All on Fire.
The author sets the stage by providing some historical information relating to the time period. This helps the reader gain the proper perspective regarding the five major powers comprising Italy’s independent city states. Additionally, there is a cast of characters to identify the roles and relationships.
When a prominent merchant dies of food poisoning at a feast hosted by Guid’Antonio, all fingers point to a young boy who prepared the salad. However, Guid’Antonio believes there’s a more sinister plot waiting to be discovered.
The story draws upon real people and events to convey an accurate depiction of the time period. In addition to the dead merchant investigation, Guid’Antonio gets a taste of political intrigue in a conflict between Florence and Rome targeting the de Medici brothers.
The Hearts of All on Fire requires concentration in order to keep the characters and storylines straight, but the rich detail brings 15th-century Florence to life.
Alana White’s passion for Renaissance Italy has taken her to Florence for research on the Vespucci and Medici families on numerous occasions. There along cobbled streets unchanged over the centuries, she traces their footsteps, listening to their imagined voices: Guid’Antonio Vespucci, Sandro Botticelli, Michelangelo, Lorenzo de’ Medici. Alana’s first short story featuring real-life fifteenth-century lawyer Guid’Antonio Vespucci and his favorite nephew, Amerigo Vespucci, was a Macavity Award finalist and led to the Guid’Antonio Vespucci Mystery Series featuring “The Sign of the Weeping Virgin” (Book I) and “The Hearts of All on Fire” (Book II), with Book III Coming Soon. She is a member of the Authors Guild, Sisters in Crime, the Women’s National Book Association, Mystery Writers of America, and the Historical Novel Society. Alana loves hearing from readers, and you can contact her at her website. There, you will find Guid’Antonio’s likeness as his contemporary, Domenico Ghirlandaio, depicted him in the Sistine Chapel, along with other images and tales of 1400s Italy. Alana lives in Nashville, TN with her husband, two Schnauzers, and one cat.
